June 24/02 9:33 am - NORBA #3 Short Track: Gears Racing Report

Posted by Editoress on 06/24/02
 

NORBA #3 - Short Track Snowshoe, WV
Julian Hine, Gears Racing

Short Tracks are NUTTY!
I just had my 3rd go here in West Virginia at Snowshoe for NORBA#3. The course was tuff. Start/finish was in the middle of a 45 second climb, 2/3 paved, top1/3 dirt, then it zig zaged down a few tight corners into the dual course and your choice of left or right side berm.Then you spit out on to some sketchy big rock gravel straight away, hairpin and up the climb again. Well, I lasted longer this time but got pulled , as most of the field does, with 5 mins to go and had a front row seat of the final laps.

Canada was ripping. I'm not sure how the first part of the race went but I gather that Roland Green joined the breakaway of Seamus McGrath and Ryder Hesjedal. Roland had a 3rd row start and took some time before jumping across to the leaders. A chase group of 8 or so were hammering hard to catch the escapees, This included Kashi Leuchs, J.H.K., Jeff Hall, and Chris Sheppard who had a slight gap trying to get across. Chris flatted with 2 to go and was unable to contest the 4th spot. Mat Toulouse was working with Mark Gullickson to catch on to the chase group and just came short, Mat finished 12th and will hopefully retain his top 10 spot.

At the front, the 3 flying Canucks had 2 to go when the man in the rainbow jersey dropped his chain, and the Haro rider McGrath put the pedal to the metal, Ryder hung on to his wheel, and overtook Seamus on the last lap to win.

1.Ryder Hesjedal
2.Seamus Mcgrath
3.Roland Green

12th Mat Toulouse

In the womens race, Alison Dunlap rode away from a chase group of Chrissy Redden, Jimena Florit and Sue Haywood. The womens field was really broken up and only 8 women finished on the winners lap. Kiara had a great ride for 12th.

It was a great Gears Weekend and next week we are off to Mt. St. Anne World Cup.......